Radio tube socket



D 8, 1936- A. w. FRANKLIN 2,063,731

RADIO TUBE SOCKET Filed oct. 18, 1934 :s sheets-sheet 1 INVENTolg. A lber' w. Fnln Klln BY @WM ATTORNEYS Dec. 8, 1936. A. w. FRANKLIN 2,063,731

RADIO TUBE SOCKET Filed oct. '18, 1934 3 sheets-sheet :e`

INyENTOlg. A/bcr W. Franklin ATTORNEYS Dec. s, 1936.

A. w. FRANKLIN J 2,063,731

RADIO TUBE SOCKET Filed Oct. 18, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTQR. A/br W- Franklin BY QJY 96.45

Patented Dees, [193e PATENT oEFiCE aossnsi RADIO TUBE SOCKET Albert W. Franklim'lNewYork, N. Y., assignor of one-half .to Edwin R. Berger, West Long Branch, N. J., and Jacob Poster, Brlghtwaters,

N. Y., jointly Application voctober is, 1934, serial No. '148,872 '1 (CLN3-32s) This invention relates to improvements inthe construction of radio tube receptacles or sockets whereby an extreme simplicity of structure and economy of manufacture is secured.

.An important object ofI this invention is to construct a radio tube socket with a.minimum number of parts and requiring a minimum amount of material, which parts may be-rapidly assembled into a completed structure.

.The detailedobjects of this invention will become apparent from the following description in connection with the attached drawings.

This invention resides substantially in the combination, constructio,'arrangement and relative location of parts, all as will be described inde--l tail below.

In theI drawings,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of one form of radio tube socket in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view thereof;

Fig.'4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line -4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is across-sectional view taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the contacting andconnector. clips;

Fig. 'I is a cross-sectional view similar jto that of Fig. 4, of a modified form of socket;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the terminal and connector clip thereof;

Fig. 9 is atop plan view with the ring or guide plate partly broken away showing a second modification in accordance with this invention;

Fig'. 10 is a Across-sectional view taken on the lineIlI-III of Fig. 9;

Fig.'1l is a perspective view of terminal and connector clip thereof;

Fig. 12 is a top 'plan view ofthe guide ring partly broken away of a third-form of structure;

Fig. 13 is a cross sectional view taken on the line I3-I3 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 1411s a perspective view ofthe terminalv and connector clip thereof;

Fig. l5 is'a top plan view of afourth modification showing the guide ring partly broken away; Fig. 16 is a cross sectional view thereof taken ber, and a guidering for facilitating the intro,- duction of the terminal prongs of the tube into the clips of the socket, all of which-parts are permanently fastened together.

Thus, in the arrangement of Figs..'1 to 6 inclusive, thesocket comprises a supporting plate I of insulating material, having a plurality of pairs of slots extending inwardly from` the edge thereof towards the center, as indicated at 2. 'I'he supporting plate Ais provided with holes' or apertures 1 therethrough adjacent the inner ends of the slots through which the prongs of the tube pass. The prong. receiving clips comprise a pair of arms 3 and 4 connected together by means of an intermediate portion 5 integral with the arms. The intermediate` portion 5 is provided with a pair of integrali-shaped arms 6. As will be apparent from Fig 6, this clip is preferably formed from a single strip of suitable metal. The prong receiving portionsl 3 are preferably of elliptical form and longitudinally slotted, so as to form a resilient structure which has a 'transverse width in cross section slightly less than the diameter of the prong, so that when the prong is forced thereinto, the prong receiving portion will frictionally engage the prong, establishing a-flrm contact therewith. The lugs 3' are engaged by the locking disc as will appear later, forming a seat therefor and serving to aid in supporting the portion 3. The arm 4 provides the terminal portion to which the circuit wire is attached, usually by soldering. n As is clear from the drawings, these clips are attached to the supporting member I by sliding the arms 6 into the slots 2, so that theyseat against the ends thereof. The clips are attached to the supporting member so that the prong receiving portions 3 and the connector arms l project below the supporting member I when the device is in use. As is clear from the figures, the prong receiving portion 3 is in substantial alignment with the apertures 1 in the supporting member. The guide ring 8 is of insulating material, and is substantially the same shape as the supporting member I, but is provided with a central opening 9 of adiameter, as is clear from Fig. 1, greater than the distance between the outside points of iany pair of diametrically opposed openings l. The guide ring'member 8 is applied over the top face of the supporting member I and riveted thereto by means of the eyelets I3. The member 8 engages the ears 6 to lock the clips in place. y

The clips are vheld in the supporting member I byl` means of a disc I0 which has apertures II :sov

therein positioned so that the disc may be slipped over the prong receiving portions 3 of the clips.

As is well known in this art, these clips are usually made of a soft metal such as copper," which has a limited amount of resiliency, but which' will remain sprung if extended beyond its elastic limit. Thus, the apertures are so pro-v portioned that the prong receiving portions 3 may notbe sprung sumciently to distort them. The disc it, therefore, not only loclrs` the clips in place, butprotects the portions 3 thereof'and ngures, is attached over the bent down tabs s-f serves to'strengthen them and support them. The disc i0 is attached to the supporting member 'i by means of a riveted eyelet i2. The' completed socket may be attached to a chamis or other supporting member by means of screws or rivets passing through the eyelets i3. The guide ring Si facilitates the alignment of the prongs with the apertures i by' guiding them as the tube. is rotated' to insure that the prongs drop into the apertures. v

'-Ihe disc it has another important function which is referred to by itself to give it emphasis. This disc locks the clips in the slots 2 against radial movement.

In the modication of Figs. 7 and 8 the clips are of generally similar construction in the parts 3, 4 and 5,-but in thiscase the prongs Se are in the form of straight tabs. The insulating support member 4i) in this case is provided with slots 4I which are formed inwardly-of the edge of the supporting member. The tabs se are inserted therethrough and then bent over to lock the clips against all movement, especiallyl in a.

radialA direction.

. The guide ring member 8, not shown in these by means of the riveted eyelets IB, as before. In this case a locking member lsuch as the member i0 of the previously described construction is not necessary since the tabs 6e, passing through slots within .the 'inner edges of the member 40, lock the clips against radial movement. However, as indicated by the riveted eyelet I2, such a supporting disc may be employed with this construction because of the added advantage of strengthening and supporting the prong receiving portion I3 of the clips,l

In tnemodmcauon orFigs. 9, 1o, 'and 11,v they insulatingJ supporting member '30 is again provided'withsuitably placed slots 3l occurring ing l{ -shaped extensions 6b proportioned so that they may .be slipped through the slots 3| andI then slidoutwardly in a radial direction in the slots" until they contact with the ends thereof. A disc i0, yas l e f 4 re,'is then slipped over the portions I of the clips, andriveted in place to hold the clips against radial'wmovementin either direction In .this casethe end s'of the tabs 8l are not bent over vbut serve .as supports for the guide ring l, which is riveted against .the edges thereof, as is clear' from Fig. 10. The radius o f the outside points of `these aper- In the modiilcation of Figs. 12 to 14 inclusive, the only dierence over the arrangement just described is that the tabs 8' formed on the intermediate portion of the clips pass in the op-Y posite direction, so that they are locked in the slots 22 in the insulating support 20 by moving `them inwardly in a radial direction. The clips are locked in this position by means of a plate 23 of insulating material having a hole 2i therethrough oi a diameter so as to snugly nt around the outside of the clips. The plates 2| and 22- and the ring 8 are then all clamped together by the riveted eyelets i3, as before.

' As will be clear from Fig. 13, the ends ogtthe tabs t'. are not bent to one side, although they may be, if desired.

In the arrangement of Figs. 15 tod? inclusive the insulating support tid is provided with single radial slots ti with recesses near their inner ends to receive a clip of the form illustrated in Fig. 7. In this case the clip comprises a U-shaped por tion @t having integral bent over tabs 65. The ends of the arms of the U portion @t extend into the transverse pits 64 and then terminate in the prong receiving portion 66. The pits'fl are of the same shape and cross-section as the recesses at the end of thev slot Bi,so that the clips are slipped down into the slots and locked in place against radial movement by the engagement of the -pits Si in the recesses. The guide ring plate 8 is employed as before to cover up the ends of the clips and hold them against axial movement. In this case the' structure is simplied by/the elimination of a third insulating member;

From the above description it will be apparent y 1. IA device as described comprising a supporting member. a plurality of radiating slots formed therein, mounted in said slots and an apertured plate, said contact terminals slidablyl contact terminals forming portions lying in the apertures of the plate to hold the contact terminals against radial movement inthe slots.

2. vA socket device as described comprising a supporting insulating member having a pluralityof radial slots formed therein, terminal clips mounted to move radially/in said slotsand an insulating plate through which said clips project t? fgold them against radial ,movement in the s o 3.'.'A socket device as 'described comprising a supporting member having a plurality of paire of radially extending slots, prong receiving terminal clips having ,pairs of' integral tabs slidsbie -r'adii ally ihv said slots but locked-against movement at right 'angles to the direction'of radial movement. j and a plate. encircling portions `of the clips for preventing radial movementof the tabs in the slots.

4. A radio tube VHsoclxet as described ing an insulating support having a plurality'of slots extending inwardly from the outer .edges thereof, said support having Iholes*therethrough adjacent the inner ends of the slots, contact clips mounted in said' slots for sliding movement 'loA 9,068,781 the slots, said clips havin a radial direction in ing prong receiving portions aligned with said holes and a disc of insulating material having apertures fitting over said prong receiving portions to prevent radial movement of the clips.

5. A radio tube socket as described comprisingv tions locked behind said clips ton hold them.

against radial movement.

6. A radio socket as described comprising a thin plate of insulating material having a plurality of radial slots therein and holes adjacent the inner ends of the slots, contact `members having ears lying in said slots and movable radially therein and contact portions extending at right angles to the plate in alignment .with said holes, a disc of insulating material having holes, through which said contact portions project to prevent radial movement of the contact members and means for securing the plate and disc together.

,7.'A radio socket as described -comprising a lthin plate of inslating material having a plurality of radial slots therein, and apertures adjacent the inner ends of the slots, contact members having ears lying in said slots and movable radially therein and' contact portions extending at-right angles to the plate in alignment with said apertures, a disc o! insulating material havingapertures through which said contact portions project to prevent radial movement of the `contact members, a cover plate contacting said ears and having holes in alignment -with holes in the thin plate and means in said holes for securing the cover plate ,and the thin plate 'together.

ALBERT W.l FRANKLIN. 

